LaMonica

I was banded 5-23....I started with 3cc's in my band which I don't know if that's common or not but I think I'm still swollen inside b/c I have no appetite...or I can't feel it. I have to force myself to sip water and gatorade (and nasty pain meds) which go down pretty easy. I had bad nausea Fri and Sat night but luckily that is over...at least for now. I try to sip protein shakes but they taste bad now and since I can't gulp it makes it more uneasy. And I don't know if I am still gassy or what but after a few sips I feel "full" I think and then I don't drink anymore. Is anyone else feeling like this 4-5 days later?

Congrats!!! I'm glad everything went well for you...this eases my nerves a bit but I am still not going to get over it until the 1st fill is done....

Tonja I think you will be okay...just a little uncomfortable. I'm at work today...I move slowly but thank goodness for desk jobs at times! I'm worried about not having an appetite...like I can't even make myself sip the shakes, only water or gatorade. I wonder.....

Well I'm back....here's a kind of short version of how my surgery went. I arrived at the surgery center at 6:30am...did paperwork, etc. I had on this large "mumu" type pink dress that everyone gave me compliments on. LOL. Then I went back and changed into the gown and booties and hat....how stylish! haha. Then I got to the pre-op room and laid on the bed. I got the shot in the side of my tummy to prevent blood clots which wasn't bad. Here comes the hardest part of my surgery: The IV. I usually have a problem with my veins....so I always suggest to use my hand. My nurse tried twice...in both hands....no luck. Another nurse tried once...in 1 elbow...no luck again. An anesthesiologist (sp?) who wasn't even mine came by to try under my wrist, forearm, and other elbow....no luck. But he did give me a small shot for pain to keep the discomfort low. By this point I was feeling like such a loser I wanted to cry (but didn't). He then tried another vein in my hand....VOILA! Magic! It finally worked....so after 6 pokes it finally worked. So I was given the infamous "cocktail" to calm me down which took about a minute to get into my system. That felt pretty good. I was wheeled to the OR and they moved me to the OR bed. After that it was a good sleep...I don't even remember laying down. I awoke to the oxygen mask....no real pain just tightness under my left breast kinda. They were telling me that I did a good job and everything was over and I couldn't believe it because it felt like time had frozen still. After a while the oxygen was taken off, but the IV was still going. Nurse gave me a shot of meds for pain. My incisions are glued which is cool. After about 15-20 mins I had to get up, grab my IV pole, and walk about 10 steps to the X-Ray room for barium swallow. That went fine and the taste wasn't bad. Then I walked down to the "step down room" where a large recliner was waiting with a pillow. Then my mom got to come and sit with me and they gave me a small glass of water to sip on. I don't know how much later nurse came back and he had Loritab elixir. That didn't taste too hot, but I swished with water after. When I felt up to it I walked around a little more with the nurse, and went to the bathroom with no problems, just moving slow. A little later I started to feel nauseus...the nurse told me he could give me something for it. But I know my body and I told him I felt I was going to throw up any second and I should probably get to a sink. He said he will be right back.....and so I threw up a small amount in my blanket!! It wasn't bad, didn't feel different...but I DEFINITELY felt so much better after I was done. And I got the meds....and he said that was normal and I had nothing to worry about. I was back at home by about 11:45am. My mom got my prescriptions. At 2 I was to take more pain meds...which I felt I needed as I had slight pain by the port and small pain in my left shoulder. I took it...which wasn't bad but then I felt nauseous. I took the nausea pill which was HORRIBLE (melt under tongue) and I still don't have the taste out. I'm about to take more pain meds...I am doing okay so far. I did have a popsicle which was so tasty. I get up every hour to walk and stuff.....I've taken a few short naps. I am also doing the breating thing every hour which is kind of hard but I make progress every time. I will check on the rest of you later!

I'm home resting....all went well....I will update later when I feel up to it. Yay!!!!!!

Great Michelle!! I have to be at the surgery center at 6:30am....surgery scheduled for 7:30am...I am the 1st of the day. This time tomorrow hopefully we will both be getting some rest in bandland!!!!

Good luck to all you 22nd-ers!!! Today will be wonderful for you...I can't wait until you all are back with stories! Remember the pain is temporary....but the weight loss will be permanent! (We can do this!) I now have less than 24 hours left.....nervously excited......but I can't wait to be with you all on the other side. HUGS!!!

(May 23rd-er here) I woke up this morning and usually I have a shake before 8am but I didn't get hungry until 10! Is it nerves....or my body...hum-de-dum I wonder ? LOL Well I hope all of you are doing well...this is the final countdown...we can do it!!!

I am still going through rebuilding, or trying to reconcile, and it is very difficult. But at least now my husband is putting in more effor to correct things he has done and improve his outlook to what it needs to be. The pain does get "better" but as for me it's been 4 months and of course it doesn't go away. I joined SI too and I find a lot of good articles and people in similar situations which ended in all kinds of ways. I do know that any way it ends will be difficult, but not the end of your life. Make sure to have individual counseling to work on YOU....and your perspective will be sad, but not as depressed if that maeks sense. IM me if you need to talk!

Well I'm glad your nerves are getting calm! I find the more educated I am and the more examples I can see I get calm too. Don't forget to check in with us when you feel up to typing...have a great day!

Good luck on your surgery! I am getting banded by Dr. Felts in the same office on Friday...I have heard wonderful things about both doctors as far as their ability to do a great procedure and good bedside manner and personality in general. As someone else suggested just search his name and you might find more information...

Another thing....I won't miss how the furniture sinks in when I sit on it. I have a sofa, loveseat, and chair. I have to constantly rotate where I sit so I don't ruin the furniture.

Here's my list of what I won't miss.... -Pain on inside of thighs when wearing skirts -Wearing the same pants to work b/c they are the only ones that fit -Sitting in seats next to people and spilling over the seat -Buying shirts way too big just to fit my arms in them -The "pretty face" comments -People asking if I'm having a baby -Feeling uncomfortable when I sit down because of my big belly -Not being able to wear high heels for normal periods of time -Hurting my belly and losing my breath when tying shoes -Not being able to polish my toes comfortably

Don't feel alone....I am in that same situation RIGHT NOW. I have only been married going on 3 years and no children.....but I feel just like you do. I've even thought of having an affair out of revenge but felt I am too good for that. My husband is immature...is a liar til the end (unless you put proof in his face).....and takes little to no responsibility for his actions. We did couples counseling for a while but he felt like he was being ganged up on (cause his thought process is so whack!) so now are are going separately and hopefully it will go back to together. I have seen this turn into a great marriage after all of the issues are worked out and worked on, and I have seen it turn into a divorce and happy lives separately. If you need someone to talk to or to vent with pick me, pick me! LOL I am exactly where you are minus some minor details. One thing I can say is please don't stay "for the kids' sake". It ends up worse for them than if you split if the marriage is truly unhealthy. But my philosophy is please give it your best shot and make sure if a split is what you need because I know God does not like divorce except under extreme circumstances, so I have learned to have more faith and patience. Like someone else said, I am realizing now that I don't NEED him yet I know and he says often that he NEEDS me. Which leads me to say if you need me why f$#@ someone else.....but that is just rage. Women and men display their hurt differently, and some people just have affairs to fill voids either from their partner or from themselves b/c of a lack of coping skill. I will be checking on you....P.S. I cry all the time. And I found out in January....

Good luck with the 2 hotels!!! I answered that no I won't be staying in the hotel just because I don't know where it is and how close that is from my house. I do have to stuff like feed my dog and things which is usually my task on the weekends so I would have to know what hotel it is and where before I make a decision on if I will be in the hotel or not. I figure it's best to answer no and maybe stay than to answer yes and then not stay. Keep me posted!

Hey I'm in McKinney and that sounds like my diet to the T.....are you with Dr. Benavides or Dr. Felts (I'm Felts)? It sounds like you are reading right from the paper and that is good. I took it as 2-3 shakes per day (depending on the shake type), up to 2 healthy meals including lean meat only, and green veggies only IF YOU CHOOSE. Also 1 cup of fruit after a meal IF YOU CHOOSE (no bananas). And 2 scrambled eggs in the morning if you have to have Breakfast. So far during the week I do a shake at breakfast, a lean lunch including a chicken breast or turkey breast (can't find fish I want grilled yet) with s/f Jello or fruit afterwards, and a shake for dinner. Sometimes for an after dinner snack I will eat a s/f popsicle or eat some grapes or something but so far that's not bad. And I have my 64oz jug of Water I drink throughout the day to help with hunger also. I usually do 2 scrambled eggs (with no milk) and 2 pieces of turkey bacon in the microwave for breakfast on the weekends, and that leaves me with 2 shakes and 1 meal left for the rest of the day. I think this pre-op diet is pretty flexible....:thumbdown:

Thanks thanks.....well after May 23rd I will have more energy to get more done so it won't be so bad. Hehe

You are referring to the conference in Dallas right? I plan to attend.....just let me know details as you get them and if I can help (I work, am in grad school, and doing an internship so I have limited time) I will help wherever I can. I can't wait!! This is cool...

I'm not being banded until the 23rd but from what I read make sure to relax, don't psych yourself out the night before......also afterwards when you wake up it is normal to be like "what have I done" but after a while that will go away....I felt the same way when I started grad school I was like what the hell? But now I'm glad I did and time has passed quickly....I know it's not the same but it's the closest experience I have so far! I'm sure by the end of the night you will have a lot of advice on here.....congrats to you and I can't wait to read you check in in the next few days!!

Glad to hear everything is going okay and it looks better....keep up those at home EMT skills!

Haha I can't wait to wear either a bikini or the tank and shorts and actually look nice in them. I haven't worn a regular swim suit in years because they don't cover anything...I've been doing tanks and shorts because it's more like regular clothing....I can't wait for the beach with my new body!

For me it seems people I don't know very well, and my co-workers (only worked here about 4 months) are all very supportive of me. My mother is absolutely the best support I have and she is so encouraging along with my mother-in-law. Unfortunately my hubbie was and still isn't not so hot at the idea, but he is trying to be supportive in his own way I guess. He really threw me for a loop yesterday though when he said "see how dedicated you are to the pre-op diet? Just think if you were this dedicated to diets before you thought about surgery..." I was like shut up! I didn't say that but that made me feel so bad when he said that....and my sister-in-law is usually so supportive of me in my different endeavors but now she is just like "I don't believe in surgery and you know how I feel about it just make sure you know the risks and that most people gain the weight back anyway". I was like.......and you've been dieting for how many years now and have lost how much weight? But of course I couldn't say that. I just said yeah I know that's how you feel but you know how I feel and I'm doing it so please no more negative remarks just don't comment at all. She is completely uneducated on this surgery but she acts like she is....and that hurts. Thank goodness for LBT!!!! 3 days down, 11 days to go for pre-op!

Yay for another person sharing my date!!!!!!! Good luck to you.....I am also still in disbelief but I am getting so excited!!!!

This sounds so awesome!!! I would love to go to a convention/conference that is tailored foro the Lap-Band procedure, doctors, and patients! Definitely keep moving forward with this...maybe it can turn into a regional event where different people head up different conventions in different areas of the US to keep cost down for attendees....cheers to you for such a great idea!

Congratulations on your surgery and I am happy to hear you are feeling better already! Hopefully the next time you post you will have even more good news to share...get rest and have a good day!